The Only Two-Storey Building
The Goto Family Residence Barn (五藤家住宅納屋, Gotō-ke Jūtaku Naya) is a two-storey timber barn built in 1949 in the Gotō family compound on the Aki Castle site in Doi, Aki City, Kochi Prefecture, and entered on the national register of Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2008. Of the seven registered structures, it is the only one with an upper floor.
It faces the main house across a courtyard to the north, ridge running east to west, and measures 4 by 2 bays, with a building area of 27 square metres. The roof is gabled and laid with pantiles, and a pantiled pent roof shelters the south face.
Walls, Stairs and Significance
The Goto Family Residence Barn is clad in vertical boards, with Tosa plaster (tosa shikkui) only on the upper part of the west gable and the upper south wall. Boards below, plaster above: it is the standard wall recipe of Doi Kachū, where the lower walls take the brunt of splashing rain.
Inside, a partition divides the barn into east and west rooms, each with its own staircase, giving two independent storage units under one roof. The barn was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape of the nation, and its key role is visible from the courtyard: the board fence from the main house's northeast corner joins the barn's side wall, so house, fence and barn read as a single continuous frontage.
What to Look For
Look at the Goto Family Residence Barn's south face from the main-house side of the courtyard. The upper wall rises above the pent roof, with a crisp line where boarding gives way to white plaster. In a compound of single-storey roofs, this is the one tall building, and it sets the back edge of the courtyard.
Then walk round to the west gable, a white plaster triangle over vertical boards. On the east side you can see where the board fence meets the barn's side wall.
Visiting the Barn
The barn stands at the back of the courtyard north of the main house, inside the Goto Family Aki Residence. Entry is free and the exterior can be seen from the courtyard and the north side of the grounds. City information does not say whether the interior, including the upper floor, is open; contact the Aki City Museum of History and Folklore, which manages the residence, if you hope to go inside.
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- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Goto Family Residence Barn
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Q&A
- When was the Goto Family Residence Barn built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to 1949.
- What makes the Goto Family Residence Barn distinctive?
- It is the only two-storey building among the seven registered structures. The gabled pantile roof sits over vertical board walls finished in Tosa plaster at the top of the west gable and south face, and inside are two rooms, each with its own stair.
- Where is the best place to view the Goto Family Residence Barn?
- From the courtyard north of the main house, looking at the south face where boards meet plaster. Also see the west gable and the east side, where the board fence joins the barn.
- How big is the Goto Family Residence Barn?
- It measures 4 by 2 bays, with a building area of 27 square metres over two storeys.
- Can I go inside the Goto Family Residence Barn?
- City information does not say whether the interior, including the upper floor, is open. Ask the Aki City Museum of History and Folklore, which manages the Goto Family Aki Residence.
Basic Information
| Name | Goto Family Residence Barn |
|---|---|
| Location | 955 Doiato, Doi, Aki City, Kochi Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2008/3/7 (Heisei 20) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 2-storey timber building, tiled roof, building area 27 square metres |
| Owner | Aki City |
| Public Access | Open as the Goto Family Aki Residence, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Mondays, free admission |
References
- 五藤家住宅納屋 (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00006941
- Aki City Doi Kachu Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings (Aki City)
- https://www.city.aki.kochi.jp/life/dtl.php?hdnKey=1381
- Aki City Goto Family Aki Residence Ordinance (Aki City)
- https://www.city.aki.kochi.jp/reiki/reiki_honbun/o304RG00000834.html
Last verified: 2026.09.26
